♔
"No matter how many faces he had, even with his mask off, it was almost like he had always been real with me since the beginning."
♔
Half a thousand of vampires in the lively ballroom roared in respect, cheering for their upcoming and new king, as the doors on the top of staircases opened drastically with a cacophonous bang, making the lights in there shimmer like the sun.
Naturally, all the faces I knew in this place, ranging from the royal family, to the my friends, and my own family, stared at me for my reaction, as I saw my Zari in all his glory, making me gasp on how stupid I was all this time.
Oh. My. Cheesecake.
I was so naive and gullible to not solve the puzzle earlier, yet when I decided to do it, it took me less than a minute to solve it.
He looked like a completely different person. He was not Zari anymore, he was his true form,
Lazarus flipping Rey.
All cold and broody, devilishly handsome with his piercing red eyes out in display, as his scar was the most prominent I've ever witnessed ever since I met him, as his whole figure screamed authority and power.
He dressed exactly like a true King, with a huge cape of red thick silk adorning the empty footsteps behind him, and a suit of the greatest knights, as he wore the royal crest loud and proud on the top of his heart, with a very determined expression on his face.
All of a sudden, all those rumours and prejudice about the king to be suddenly came true, he was described at the leader of the venomous bites at night, as the monster children should be scared of before going to bed, and as the most wanted bachelor in the neighbouring kingdoms.
And maybe even the world.
Scary, intimidating, powerful, and torturously dashing.
I was not just destined to be with some pure blooded beast, I was mated to someone equivalent to being the God of all vampires on this planet.
Someone possessing the strength of a thousand humans combined, someone having the intelligence not among any minds in this world, someone as alluring as the devil himself.
Vampires are known to be seductive creatures to lure their prey for blood, and to make them wake up in their blood, or probably never wake up at all, and to think if you're having the King of Vampires all to yourself, just imagine whether he's literally the living example of the word 'seduce.'
And he stood there with a spear of the noble pure bloods in his hands, whose end clanged onto the floor with his every step while his jawline clenched in front of the public eye all of a sudden, as jewels adorned his outfit, with his muscles ripped out of his attire, while his boots made the satisfying clanks of leather over and over again.
I was not witnessing my gentle guardian angel anymore, I was witnessing the Lord of absolute hell.
Someone who can kill the whole population of Stormania with his bare fangs in a matter of seconds, someone who can lure any woman and even any man into his bed at nightfall, and someone who can cause you to make so many sins that no matter how evil he can get, he can bring absolute and utter heaven to you.
It was like he was made to be the King of these beasts, even more vicious than huge werewolves.
To think a mere human like me was mated to him was unbelievable at this point.
And now even the thought of a man like him protecting me for two whole years seemed like a joke.
Me? Someone with no matching capabilities as he has? Someone who is not even quarter as strong as he could ever get? Someone who cannot possess a hector of power he can do in miles and miles? Or even light years?
His blood runs through almost everyone in this room, making him the reason for the birthing of these creatures into life, suddenly making me realise of what dangers he is capable of commencing.
Yet I was not growing an ounce of fear towards him.
Why? Why am I not feeling uneasy? Why can't my lips quiver with his fangs growing by the second to show themselves off?
Because besides being the most apparent scary creature in the world existing right now which no man or woman was probably capable of going against him, he's the person who made me feel safe for half of the adulthood I've experienced and I wouldn't change it for the world.
He was the one who would take my breath away every time he speaks to me, he would always vow to make me his all the time, as I refused to believe this man is Zari.
My Zari.
He made me feel things that the males in books make the females feel, cared for, adored, treasured, wanted, needed, loved, and just cherished overall like no other man can provide.
I even thought this couldn't be real to the point where I assumed he was still the head of the Stormanian soldiers and that the actual Lazarus was going to enter after him.
But no one was behind him, as he took a few steps ahead of the doors, making them close behind him with a boom.
My mouth widened on its own, as my heart beat escalated to a hundred miles per hour, resulting me on listening to the escalating beats into my ear drums, as I felt my eyes betray the sight in front of me, making my lips quiver finally.
Without even looking around, I could tell many pairs of eyes were on me, boring their orbs into my soul, and among those eyes included his own.
As soon as our eyes met together in harmony, it was like no one existed in our world anymore, as his cold expression sent me a thousand messages at once.
And just like that, everything paused dramatically, and I couldn't hear anything other than a high pitched ringing for the next few seconds.
I was expecting the final dangerous eyes which were rumoured and talked about for centuries in bed time stories to be upon me, who would smirk before committing vices without any repercussions, which would make anyone stagger on their spot and surrender onto their knees.
Until he decides to assure his victim to come near him with a single curl of his index finger, while his hair would fall onto his forehead and cascade shadows onto those lashes, before tilting his head to side innocently, almost like a taunt of safety near the beast's embrace, shortly after seeing the human walk up to him obediently.
And then he would wrap his rough yet warm hand around your pretty little throat, snap your vertebrae to pieces and drink you dry.
To any normal being in this room, whether human or not, these eyes would be looking like a threat right now, with the feelings of rage and utter ice, but when it came to me?
It was a complete different story all together.
His eyes spoke nothing but utter and benevolent passion, unending easiness of enamoured warmth, displaying so many emotions of the yearn, the urge, the desire, and finally the want to consume my whole being into his until we are intertwined forever.
And want of what you ask?
Just guess, you can do it.
The want to protect, the want to embrace, the want to shield and engulf, the want to unite, the want to collide forever, the want to just be together until there's no tomorrow.
I felt the most safest in that moment without even him touching me, as my breath hitched in my throat, making me almost gulp while wanting to hug myself to vanquish the attempts of my shivers swallowing me, before making me blink once ever so slowly with his hand gripping into the spear harder than before, and his carefree look was utterly gone in a spilt second, disproved with utter seriousness and determination the other decimal.
He looked like a true King.
And boy was a I happy for some reason.
He descended the stairs with so much control, so much consolidated and brazen chivalry, it was so overwhelming where I just wanted to collapse then and there. Any servant would come to his feet if he wanted to, any human would've drained themselves just for him if he wanted to, any woman would've given up her dignity if he wanted to.
Yet his eyes never left mine. Like not even for an idiotic millisecond of time, it just trapped me, almost haphazardly suffocating me.
For all he could be receiving from my bewildered green eyes, his had way too much to offer for God's sake.
His cape fanned the stairs behind him, with its elongated length, it made him look invincible, almost inevitable to exist, while his resurgence in front of the whole public was a one to remember, before I nebulously heard a few gasps after the high pitched sound fading away into the distance, while everyone scrutinised his masterpiece like stare dedicated to me.
Like the true Dracula, he was the epitome of every danger.
And his whole being searched for nothing more than my soul, as if he only wanted me to watch him take the throne with culminated dominance, almost as if he wanted me to be proud of him. And I was, truly proud of him.
He searched for my approval for something.
He searched for my assurance in anything.
He searched for my satisfaction after his glory.
He searched for actual love that I had to offer.
And I would be lying if he didn't find it in my eyes then and there. And all of a sudden the meaning of love at a sight became.....unravelled and true.
He soon shifted his gaze from my shook green orbs to the sight in front of him towards the crowd by force, almost as if he was coercing himself from doing anything to me specifically for everyone to see before plastering a snarl on his face, as the sounds of clapping and shouting finally reached my ears, completely blurred all this time, making me come back to reality after our...moment.
Did that...really happen?
That's my Zari?
Lazarus was my mate?
The King was my mate?
I was mated to royalty?!
"I bet she'll faint in the next two minutes." Nana whispered to Elliot behind me shamelessly, while I tried to recoup my posture and use my etiquette of staying calm, as he chuckled darkly shortly after as a reply.
"No, a minute is enough." He figuratively stated, as I finally learned how to breathe after not being able to take in oxygen for what felt like years, and blinked my eyes to stop any unwanted tears to surface.
Oh my God, was that the..mate bond or..
"Oh dear sweetheart, you're even more paler than I am at the moment." Cynthia, literally known for her utmost porcelain fairness giggled at me, as I glared at her while puffing my cheeks childishly while clenching my fists.
"You knew," I deadpanned with the ephemeral anger simmering before extinguishing after seeing her frown, gulping back my bile and saliva down my throat before wanting to throw up, as she sighed in guilt.
"All of you knew. Even my own family knew." I muttered while staring at the floor, feeling like I just a pawn for entertainment.
Why did everyone...lie to me?
Even my own family didn't bother to tell me anything?
And especially him? What happened to not having any secrets in a relationship?
"I am utterly sorry sweetie, I never wanted to make this happen this way. It's what my son fated and wanted to happen." She mumbled softly, holding my arm as comfort, requesting me to not be upset too much, as it felt nice to be in her warmth, yet I was still not sure about how and what to feel.
That's the real question actually. Am I even mad?
Am I angry at him at all?
Cause if you ask me that straightforwardly, I would honestly censure.
"I...hope he has a good reason for it." That's all I wished for, not believing the thought of him playing me just for some kind of sickening game.
He's fucking Lazarus Rey for Pete's sake, he must have a logical explanation to this chaos.
I will beat his ass.
"Believe me, he does. He would never hurt you Diana. He's the last person on earth to do that." She defended.
"O-Okay." I stuttered, clasping both my hands together and took a few deep breaths to calm down my roaring bag of muscle.
I just continued to plaster a fake 'okay' face for the next minutes of the coronation, as I glanced at all the men of the royal family in the middle, with Luther already prepared with the crown, and Micheal shifting his gaze from me to his second son.
Lazarus finally reached his father and held the spear of the noble pure bloods in his hand and landing it on the floor firmly, before Micheal gently lifted the crown of the mighty jewels with care in his hands and turned to him.
Everyone silences themselves in the room, as I could see Lucien flicker his wand to create some celebratory sparkles to create a fantastic atmosphere around everyone, illuminating the room even more adding onto the shine of the full moon tonight.
"I shalt anon pronounce thee the almighty king of us vampires of the eth'r, rising from the ashes of the gentle graves from the sacr'd blood. Bringeth the h'rizon of the lighteth and success f'r ev'ry kingdom standing the present day, as i passeth down all mine own auth'rity and success to the most wondrous Lazarus Rey," Micheal chanted out loud, bearing his fangs at his son with pride, as Lazarus outgrew his own pair completely, making everyone do that same after a few seconds.
All the vampires hissed in a union, as Micheal carefully placed the delicate crown on his head, making my mate's perfected hair fall a little on his forehead, before Micheal stepped back.
"Accepteth the duties of s'rving thy people with expeditious diligence, empathy and trusteth. Protecteth the future gen'rations yet to cometh, birth the joy of loveth in thy new family, and thriveth. Do you, blood and future of the pure bloods, take an oath to safeguard the good for your subjects?"
"I do."
And just like that, my imprint started to sting a lot for a few seconds, making me hiss profusely as I could see Lazarus hiss at the same time with the overflowing transaction of power from his father to his own body.
Cynthia immediately placed her hand on my back for support, as I squinted my eyes to see my mate close his eyes and growl in satisfaction, before he smiled at his father with gratitude while showcasing his fangs.
"I now present to you officially, your new King!"
"LONG LIVE THE KING AND THE QUEEN!"
Everyone cheered while throwing his arms in the air, as showering dust fell from the ceiling as confetti, making everyone growl in submission to the new transferred power, as Micheal stepped aside from the path of his son.
My eyes widened at the cheers, as Cynthia squealed like a teenage girl beside me while shaking my arm, as everyone clapped while looking at me, before it dawned upon me.
Oh my...
..Goodness.
I..am their queen.
Me.
ME.
A HUMAN.
I AM NOT REA-
My mate stepped ahead a few feet, banging the spear on the ground as a gesture of authority, as it looked like the crown passed down from millenniums to millenniums was made for him.
"We shall now birth a new age of rule under my command, which also dawns a marvellous era of the collaboration of humans and vampires into being. Let's make it our responsibility to spread harmony and defeat the corrupt among us in both the species, as we unite in harmony for the glory!"
"FOR THE GLORY!" Everyone roared happily as the confetti showered upon them to, as they rejoiced the moments of seeing their new King in action already, as I gulped at his words.
Oh boy.
Goodbye normal life-
When was my life ever normal?
"THIS IS SO EXCITING!" Cynthia chirped like a fan girl, as my body shivered from the power starting to radiate in my veins, making me feel eccentric to this new feeling, while the precious queen gasped at me.
"I FEEL THE TINGLES! You are taking my place sweetheart, oh how complete my life has become!" She cried while engulfing me into a hug, as my shaking hands hugged her back in shock, while she squeezed me.
"You'll do amazing Diana, I'm so happy I got to pass down my own treasures to someone like you. You'll make an amazing queen." She cooed into my ear, as the bile again rose into my throat in hopes of being let out, as I choked a cough and nodded softly.
"T-Thank you."
This was not just his coronation, it was ours.
♔